Hotel booking for a Schengen visa

For a Schengen short-stay visa, proof of accommodation for your whole stay is one of the standard supporting documents. Here's how to get the hotel part right.

What the rules say

The Schengen Visa Code (Regulation (EC) No 810/2009) lists the supporting documents consulates may ask for, including documents relating to accommodation. In practice most consulates and visa centres ask for hotel reservations or a host invitation covering the entire stay. The official overview is on the European Commission's visa policy page.

Cover every night

Your bookings should cover each night from arrival to departure, in the cities of your itinerary, and in the name printed in your passport. A gap of even one night is a common reason for extra questions.

Visiting several Schengen countries

Apply to the consulate of the country where you'll spend the most nights (or of your first entry if the nights are equal). Book each city for the nights you'll be there; the bookings together should match your route. See how to plan multi-city bookings.

Timing

You can apply up to six months before travel and at least 15 days before. Appointments are often weeks away, so book the hotel shortly before your appointment and use the free extension if you need the booking to stay active longer. The reservation is held for 48 hours. You can extend it once, free, up to 14 days after booking (or shortly before the hotel's free-cancellation deadline, whichever comes first). After that it is cancelled free of charge.

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Frequently asked questions